Implementation of Unified GCC Tourist Visa by 2025 

The launch of the GCC Unified Visa is expected to happen before the end of 2025, according to the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassim Al-Budaiwi. 

Al-Budaiwi made this statement at the 146th Ministerial Council meeting held in Kuwait on Monday, 2 June 2025. The meeting was chaired by the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister and Chairman of the current session of the Ministerial Council, Abdullah Al-Yahya. Those in attendance included delegations of the GCC countries and foreign ministers. 

Amidst various discussions concerning the region, Al-Budaiwi pointed out that there has been significant technical progress made towards the Unified GCC Visa, which will employ a single online portal for applications. He shared that the visa will be approved by the end of 2025.

The Unified GCC Visa, also known as the GCC Tourist Visa, is a highly anticipated initiative that will revolutionize travel in the region. With its implementation, GCC residents and international tourists will be able to apply online for a single visa to visit all the GCC member countries. 

This new visa system will improve mobility within the region and draw significant tourism revenue to the six GCC countries, which are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

The United GCC Visa has faced a fair share of delays, with discussions having started as early as October 2023. With an initial launch date in December 2024, the visa may finally be introduced at the end of this year, according to the latest announcement by Jassim Al-Budaiwi.